Wade Wayne Cope, 89, of Carney, Oklahoma passed away on June 24, 2022.

Wade was born on February 5, 1933 to Gerald and Zella Cope (Dodd) in Clinton, Oklahoma. At fourteen while attending school in Carney, he rented and later purchased a wooded property which he improved and farmed for the next seventy years. After graduating from Carney High School in 1951, Wade joined the U.S. Army serving in Germany.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Army, Wade returned to Carney continuing to farm while also building homes, working in the Oklahoma oil fields, and operating a successful restaurant.

He valued hard work and education and instilled that ethic in his children and grandchildren.

Many thanks to his best friend Ginger Mendenhall for working alongside him these last several years, helping make it possible for him to be out there doing what he loved until the end. Wade may have slowed some but never really retired and passed to the next life while working outside.

Wade was predeceased by his mother Zella Owens; stepfather Whitey Owens; uncle Blyford Dodd; and sisters Betty Broaddus and Linda Nicolai.

He is survived by brother Max (Beth) Cope; daughter Joey (Donald) Ailey; and sons Gerald and Joel Cope; grandchildren Matt Blizzard, Sarah Harris, Amy Jo Dearinger, Rebekah O’Neill, Zachary Cope, and Aaron Scrogum; great grandchildren, Austin, Nick, Ryan, Keagan, Brooklynn, Addison, Emersyn, Madilynn, Kinsleigh, and one more on the way; several nieces, and many many friends young and old.

A celebration of Wade’s life will be held at the Carney cemetery on Saturday, July 9th at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Carney Senior Citizens where Wade ate many wonderful meals with his friends.

Arrangements are under the direction of Lehman Funeral Home of Wellston.